Rescue Story: Stella Bella, Feral No More

It’s hard to believe a kitty as pretty as Stella Bella was born into a colony of community cats and lived there for a couple of years. But cat genetics being as random as they are, why couldn’t a community cat look like a pointed Snowshoe cat? All cats are beautiful no matter where they live.

The story of how she came inside, though, involved many compassionate people, McKeesport humane officer Jill Martin Erny, humane officer Dawn Weichler of Sable Kennel, colony caretakers and rescuers Samantha Ginsburg and Carol Orient of Kopy Kat Sanctuary who work together in this area, and cat rescuer Pam Roudebush Amicarella who shared the post with them, networking after Stella was picked up as a stray, with an eartip, taken to a kennel that did not really take cats, a situation that is often a death sentence for even friendly cats. But the officer who found her would see to it that any cat got what she needed, and would also take note of her not-so-feral personality despite the eartip, and contacted people who could take her in, care for her, and find her a new loving home.

From Kopy Kat Sanctuary’s Facebook page:

This beautiful approximately two-year-old Siamese/Snowshoe mix looking girl was rescued from an abandoned house in McKeesport. She somehow got trapped in the basement, where this dear girl meowed and meowed until help arrived! The kind area Humane Officer responded and she was safe. Little did she know that this was the beginning of an epic adventure. Because she was so calm and friendly, once settled in their care, it was agreed that KKS would put her in foster care and see if adoption was a feasible option. She was part of a managed and well cared for colony in McKeesport for her whole life. KKS, assisting the caretaker, did TNR of her colony approximately one year ago. She was not friendly with strangers at that time. Now that she is, she would not be safe in McKeesport, especially now that she wanders far beyond her colony.

Her name now is Stella Bella (for obvious reasons)! She is healthy and the fluffiest darn thing! She LOVES to be petted and brushed…thank goodness because it is an absolute must to keep her looking so beautiful!

Since being inside she has discovered the wonders of human kindness and loves attention once she knows you and has had some time to bond. She is still timid and enjoys quiet and calm. She would do best in a quiet cat savvy home with someone who is very patient and kind. Stella is good with other cats as long as they are a little older and and not up in her business all the time. She does NOT enjoy wrestling or anything that messes up her hair!!

Stella Bella is spayed, has all her shots, tested negative for FELV/FIV. She eats well and took to the litter box like a champ.

Please consider being Stella Bella’s hero and angel. If you are around the Pittsburgh, PA area and are interested please complete our adoption application which can be found at the link and forward to Catorient30@gmail.com.

Community cats don’t typically spontaneously decide to come inside. Stella Bella was initially taken in in January, and by April was ready for adoption. She must have had one very special caretaker to be able to socialize her enough to be handled by strangers, fostered and adopted just a year after her spay when she was assessed as not friendly with strangers. And to be handled so gently by all these people who were strangers to her is a change from the treatment community cats often get.

If you are interested in adopting Stella Bella, follow the link above, and consider donating to Kopy Kat Sanctuary so they can keep up their good work for cats.

Stella Bella

About Kopy Kat Sanctuary

Kopy Kat Sanctuary

Kopy Kat Sanctuary is located in Delmont, PA, east of Pittsburgh. They are “a group of cat-loving women trying to improve the lives of a few felines” in their own homes and out of their own pockets as well as helping those in need with low-cost spay and neuter to help reduce the populations of homeless cats. They have no shelter, but have saved many lives. Visit their website for more information or visit their Facebook page. And if you can’t adopt or foster, make a small donation to help this very small sanctuary.

All images and text used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission, although links to your site are more than welcome and are shared. Please ask if you are interested in using and image or story in a print or internet publication. If you are interested in purchasing a print of an image or a product including it, check my animal and nature website Portraits of Animals to see if I have it available already. If you don’t find it there, visit Ordering Custom Artwork for more information on a custom greeting card, print or other item.

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I fostered Kennedy for the last six weeks of his time in this life, and each day was a joy. If it hadn’t been for an organized group of rescuers Kennedy would never have found his way to my home. He would never have been rescued, and I would never have known him and been able to share him with you. I created this sketch to help cover the costs of his care. I auctioned it off, and encouraged people to donate at least $25.00 and I would send them a print of the sketch. Now $5.00 from each sale goes to benefit the cat rescue I work with, Pittsburgh CAT, or to the Homeless Cat Management Team to help spay and neuter more cats so there won’t be so many to rescue.

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Bernadette

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